Carlo Ancelotti has Ryan Williams on his radar ahead of India vs Brazil friendly

India vs Brazil: Brazil have arrived in Kolkata for Saturday's India clash, with Carlo Ancelotti already identifying Ryan Williams as a potential threat. The Brazil coach has watched India's Panama draw closely, adding another layer of intrigue to a landmark Salt Lake Stadium meeting.

In Short

• Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti warns India’s Ryan Williams could pose a threat
• India face Brazil at Salt Lake Stadium in a high-profile friendly
• Williams scored against Panama earlier

Brazil are in Kolkata, the city is counting down and Salt Lake Stadium is preparing for a night unlike many India football has seen before. But amid all the attention around Vinicius Junior, Endrick and Carlo Ancelotti, the Brazil coach has been keeping an eye on an Indian player too.

Ryan Williams has caught his attention.

The Australia-born forward, who completed his switch to represent India, scored in the 1-1 draw against Panama last week and has quickly become one of the country’s most dependable attacking options in the post-Sunil Chhetri era. Ahead of Saturday’s India vs Brazil friendly, Ancelotti revealed that his team has already identified Williams as a player capable of causing problems.

“We saw the last game that they played against Panama and we thought it was a good team,” Ancelotti said. “In fact, with the striker Williams, that could be dangerous for us.”

The comment perhaps says as much about Brazil’s preparation as it does about Williams. India may be ranked 138th in the world, but Ancelotti has made it clear that Brazil are not arriving in Kolkata without having done their homework.

WILLIAMS MAKES BRAZIL TAKE NOTE

Williams’ rise has been swift. After switching his international allegiance, he scored on the international stage and then found the net against Panama, giving India the lead before the visitors fought back for a 1-1 draw.

Two goals are obviously nowhere near enough to invite comparisons with Chhetri’s extraordinary international career. But since the former captain’s retirement, India have been searching for a forward who can provide a dependable goal threat, and Williams has increasingly looked like that player.

Now he gets Brazil.

Ancelotti said Brazil have studied India’s “quality and characteristics” as they prepare for the game, with Williams’ directness and goalscoring ability clearly forming part of that assessment.

For Williams, it is another step into unfamiliar territory. He has already become a focal point for India’s attack; on Saturday, he will have to find a way through a defence led by Marquinhos, one of the most experienced defenders of his generation.

ANCELOTTI REFLECTS ON INDIA’S SPORTING CULTURE

Ancelotti also returned to the subject of India’s sporting culture, days after his earlier comments about the country’s football ecosystem attracted attention. This time, the Brazil coach acknowledged cricket’s importance while stressing that football remains a sport India can continue to develop.

“I don’t think culture is the most important thing. That doesn’t mean that football is not a sport. Cricket is a fantastic sport. We are happy to be here, to show our quality and for all the people.”

Ancelotti said cricket's prominence was part of India's sporting culture, while expressing hope that the country can continue its efforts to compete in football.

“I think it’s part of the culture. I don’t know if there is a possibility to change. India tried to compete also in football and sport, and I hope for them the best.”

After saying India lacked a strong football culture, Ancelotti now says culture is not the biggest barrier and stressed that India has both the sporting passion and the ambition to compete.

BRAZIL SEE AN OPPORTUNITY TOO

There is another layer to Ancelotti’s thinking. With Brazil still shaping a new-look squad, the India game is not simply another fixture on the calendar for the Italian coach.

Asked whether the match represented a test for players still competing for places, Ancelotti pushed back on the terminology.

“For the squad and for all of the players, this is not a test. This is an opportunity,” he said.

That opportunity is particularly relevant to the younger players in Brazil’s squad. Ancelotti said he was pleased with the number of new faces in the group and believes they have shown enough quality to contribute to the national team.

Brazil are also attempting to move beyond a difficult period. They have not won the World Cup since 2002, and Ancelotti acknowledged that the team must build a new generation capable of competing at the highest level.

“The last period of the national team was not so good,” he said. “In this difficult period, this is also a motivation to build a new generation of players that will be able to compete at the best.”

The India game therefore carries a purpose for Brazil beyond the opposition. It is another chance for Ancelotti to understand his squad, test combinations and give players an opportunity to make their case.

INDIA GET THEIR OWN CHANCE

For India, the opportunity is even more obvious.

The 1-1 draw against Panama gave Khalid Jamil’s side a positive start to the international window, with Williams providing the goal. Brazil now offer a completely different level of examination, before Uruguay arrive in Kolkata on October 6.

The gap between the teams is enormous on paper. India are 138th in the FIFA rankings, while Brazil sit among the world’s leading sides. Yet these are precisely the occasions that can give Indian players an understanding of what the highest level demands.

Marquinhos, who is set to make his 90th appearance for Brazil, said his team has analysed India carefully and insisted that the match carries significance for both sides.

“Every game is a big opportunity to display Brazil’s amazing skill,” Marquinhos said. “Representing Brazil is a dream since we are children, and I’m so proud to carry the Brazilian jersey.”

For India’s players, Saturday offers a different kind of dream. Playing Brazil at Salt Lake Stadium is the sort of occasion many will remember long after the result has disappeared from the headlines.

And Ancelotti wants his own players to remember the night for a different reason. He believes Brazilian football must retain its joy, even amid the pressure that comes with wearing the famous yellow shirt.

“The happiness is a really important quality that the Brazilian has, such a culture,” he said. “I would like that the players could play enjoyable, with happiness, in the game.”

When Brazil walk out at Salt Lake Stadium, Williams will know exactly what awaits him. So will Ancelotti.

For India, that may be one of the most interesting details of all: on a night built around Brazil’s superstars, one of India’s own has already made the opposition coach sit up and take notice.

- Ends